Where young Adonis oft reposes,
Waxing well of his deep wound
In slumber soft, and on the ground
Sadly fits the Cyprian Queen;
But far above in spangled theen
Celestial Cupid, her fam'd Son, advanc'd,
Holds his dear Psyche sweet intranc'd,
After her wandring labours long,
Till free consent the Gods among
Makes her his eternal Bride,
And from her fair unspotted side
Two blissful twins are to be born,
Youth and Joy; so Jove hath sworn.
But now my task is smoothly done,
I can fly, or I can run
Quickly to the green earth's end,
Where the bow'd welkin slow doth bend;
And from thence can foar as foon
To the corners of the Moon,

Mortals, that would follow me,
Love Virtue; she alone is free,
She can teach ye how to climb
Higher than the Sphery Chime;
Or, if virtue feeble were,
Heav'n it self would stoop to her.

A

T

HIS is the Month, and this the happy Morn,
Wherein the Son of Heav'n's eternal King,
Of wedded Maid, and Virgin Mother born,

Our great Redemption from above did bring;
For fo the holy Sages once did fing,

That he our deadly forfeit should release, And with his Father work us a perpetual peace.

11.

That glorious Form, that Light unfufferable,
And that far-beaming blaze of Majesty,

Wherewith he wont at Heav'n's high Council-Table
To fit the midst of Trinal Unity,
He laid aside; and here with us to be,

Forsook the Courts of everlasting Day,

And chose with us a darksom House of mortal Clay.

III.

Say, Heav'nly Muse, shall not thy facred vein
Afford a Present to the Infant God?

:

Haft

Hast thou no verse, no hymn, or folemn strain,
To welcome him to this his new abode,

Now while the Heav'n, by the Sun's team untrod,
Hath took no print of the approaching light,
And all the spangled host keep watch in squadrons

bright?

IV.

See how from far upon the Eastern road
The Star-led Wizards haste with odours sweet;

O run, prevent them with thy humble ode,
And lay it lowly at his blessed feet :

Have thou the Honour first, thy Lord to greet,
And join thy voice unto the Angel Choir,
From out his fecret Altar toucht with hallow'd fire.

८

I

T was

the Winter wild,

While the Heav'n-born Child

All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies; Nature in awe to him

Had doff'd her gawdy trim,

With her great Master so to sympathize:

It was no season then for her

To wanton with the Sun, her lusty Paramour.

Only with speeches fair

She woos the gentle Air,

II.

To hide her guilty front with innocent Snow,

And on her naked shame,

Pollute with finful blame,

:

The

The Saintly Veil of Maiden white to throw; Confounded, that her Maker's eyes

Should look so near upon her foul deformities.

III.

But he, her fears to cease,

Sent down the meek-ey'd Peace;

She, crown'd with Olive green, came softly sliding

Down through the turning Sphear

His ready Harbinger,

With Turtle wing the amorous clouds dividing; And waving wide her myrtle wand,

She strikes a universal Peace through Sea and Land.

IV.

No War, or Battle's found,

Was heard the World around,

1

The idle spear and shield were high up hung, The hooked Chariot stood

Unstain'd with hoftile blood,

The Trumpet spake not to the armed throng; And Kings sat still with awful eye,

As if they surely knew their fovereign Lord was by.

V.

But peaceful was the night,

Wherein the Prince of light

His reign of peace upon the earth began :

The Winds, with wonder whift,
Smoothly the waters kist,

Whispering new joys to the mild Ocean,

Who now hath quite forgot to rave,

While Birds of Calm fit brooding on the charmed

1

Wave.

VI.

The Stars with deep amaze
Stand fixt in stedfast gaze,

Bending one way their precious influence,

And will not take their flight,

For all the morning light

- Of Lucifer, that often warn'd them thence; But in their glimmering Orbs did glow,

Until their Lord himself bespake, and bid them go.

VII.

And though the shady gloom

Had giv'n day her room,

The Sun himself with-held his wonted speed,

And hid his head for shame,

As his inferior flame

The new-enlighten'd World no more should need;

He saw a greater Sun appear

[bear.

Than his bright Throne, or burning Axletree could

VIII.

The Shepherds on the Lawn,

Or ere the point of dawn,

Sat simply chatting in a rustic row;

Full little thought they then,

That the mighty Pan

Was kindly come to live with them below;

Perhaps their loves, or else their sheep,

Was all that did their filly thoughts so busy keep.

When such musick sweet

IX.

Their hearts and ears did greet,

As never was by mortal finger strook,

Divinely